Polly Madassa is convinced she was born for a more romantic time. A time when Elizabeth Bennet and Anne of Green Gables walked along the moors and beaches of the beautiful, wild land. A time when a distinguished gentleman called upon a lady of quality, and true love was born in the locked eyes of two young lovers.

But alas, she was not.

This however does not stop our young heroine from finding romance wherever she can conjure it up. So while Polly is burdened with the summer job of delivering baked goods from her parents' bakery (how delightfully quaint!) to the people in her small beach town, she finds a way to force...um...encourage romance to blossom. She is determined to bring lovers, young and old, together...whether they want to be or not.

I was so thrilled when this came in the mail! Just the whole plot sounds so sweet, and I loved the cover! Thanks so, so much, Lindsay!!

The Sweetheart of Prosper County by Jill S. Alexander (ARC, September 2009, Feiwel & Friends)

Almost 15-year-old Austin Gray is tired of standing at the curb and watching the parade pass her by. Literally. She decides this is the year she'll ride on the hood of a shiny pickup truck in the annual parade, waving to the crowd and finally showing the town bully that she's got what it takes to be the Sweetheart of Prosper County.

But far from simply being a beauty contest, becoming Sweetheart involves participation in the Future Farmers of America (FFA), raising an animal, and hunting or fishing. Austin will do almost anything to become Sweetheart, and has the support of her oldest friend, Maribel, her new FFA friends (including the reigning Sweetheart, and a quiet, cute cowboy), an evangelical Elvis impersonator, a mysterious Cajun outcast, and a rooster named Charles Dickens. If only her momma would stop overprotecting her, and start letting Austin live her own life. But Austin can't move on until Momma moves on, too--and lets the grief of losing Austin's daddy several years before out into the open.

Massie Block: After disbanding the Pretty Committee, Massie takes charge like Visa, forming OCD's hawtest clique yet: Massie and the Crew. Even though money can't buy you love, it can buy new friends...or at least model-actresses who will act like your besties until you get real ones. Lights, camera, MACtion!

Alicia Rivera: Hearts her new role as alpha of the Soul-M8s, BOCD's first ever boy-girl clique. But when the boys head back to the newly renovated Briarwood Academy, will the remaining Soul M8s become 4Squares?

Dylan Marvil: Is happy times ten to finally have a crush who's crushing back, especially since they luh-v all the same things: marshmallows, lip-kissing, and chugging Red Bull. Buuuurp!

Kristen Gregory: Scored three goals on the soccer field last week--and Massie's crush...which earned her an ejection from her ex-BFF's heart. Can Massie forgive and forget, or is Kristen out of the game forever?

Claire Lyons: Has declared herself neutral in the battle of the cliques. But dividing her time between Massie, the Soul M8s, and Cam has left her stretched thinner than an extra-small Spanx. Can she get her friends to reunite, or will she be forced to pick a side once and for all?

...Whew, long summary. One word to describe getting the new Clique book: yyyyyyayyyyy! They're kinda shallow, but I love 'em!

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Here's what's being going on around the blog this week (meme created by Reviewer X):

I noticed that you commented on a review of Beautiful Americans earlier this year that you thought it sounded good. If you haven't gotten a chance to read it yet, I am doing a giveaway with it right now.